Lending startups raised more venture capital in the first quarter of this year than in any other quarter on record, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. Companies in the sector raised a total of $302.8 million in the first three months of this year, surpassing even the amount raised in all of 2013 by nearly $17 million.

Alternative methods of finding financing for business or personal use began turning up during the financial crisis. While their methods are still fairly new, venture investors are excited by the promise of bringing automation and social data to an age-old industry.

LendingClub has originated some $4 billion in personal loans since it began in 2007, making it one of the biggest of the new players on the lending scene. The company hasn’t started a formal IPO process but is preparing to do so.

Write to Christopher Zinsli at christopher.zinsli@wsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @zinsli

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